Clamping device



yym. 25, 1930.'

H. w. BOWLY ET AL` CLAMPING DEvcE Filed April' so, 1929l 2 sheets-sheet 2 TES -PATEN HEYWARD WIRGMAN BowLY, on sUMMiT, Ann WILLIAM winnsrnnnn MCWILLIAMS,

-QF SOUTH ORANGE, NEWERSEY, ASSGNES TO ES'IEREP` ELECTRIC COMPANY. i

1 INCORPORATED, 0F Nnwvonn, n.1Y.,'A`oosPeRA'rroNion nnwyonx l y CLAM'PrnG nsvren:

nppneatin fue@ april so,

This inventionrelates to clamping devices,

i and morepa'rticularly to devicesfor fastenother.

ingfstrands or cablesto supportsand to each The invention has for its principal object theprovision of improved andreadrly ad- `]us`tableV clamping devices of simplei and eco'- nomical construction for attaching strands-or cablesto a supporting Afran'lework and toeach other. y Y im., A- bIn 'accordance-with the above object, the

invention contemplateslfthe provision fof an improved cable clampingdevice consisting of flat `metal'd strip "material formed intoja two sidedrightfangle member having reduced eX- tremities provided with aplurality oftrans-J t verse slots for selective interlocking engage'- ment with ofsetlips ofcooperating similar` members to provide `horizontal and vertical adjustment for accommodating various numbers `and sizes of cables.v` Y l t LA `moreicompleteunderstanding of the inventi'on willl be "from the following dei features'of-theinvention, 'i i tailed description, vreference being had'to the 'accompanying draw1ngswhere1n Y 1F ig. 1. is a fragmentary side. elevational view, partly in section, of a group of cables shown. attached tok a? supporting framework and to each other byrmeans of clamping de vices embodying theV features of the invennon, -i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of "the structure shown in Fig. l, l i

i Figs. 3 and 4f are enlarged perspective views :of rclamping devices embodying" the Fig.. 5^ 'slanenlarged perspective view of base clamp which may beemployed with the improved clamping devices for attaching ca.-

bles to a` supporting framework, y

n i Fig.a6 a plan view of a plurality'of-interlocked clamping devices embodying the ,fea-V tures ofthe invention,r

Fig; 7" is. a vertical section taken on line 7-7 of Fig.' 6 with the lower clamping devices-shown attached to the framework by means of cooperatingbase clamps, and- Fig. 8 is an end elevational view ofa plu- `-rality of clamping devices shown interlocked in a vertieallrow.

ing theelectri'cal apparatus, to a supporting niza serial nb. 359344.

Clampingdevices embodying thefeatures` i ofthe inventionmay be employed toadvantagein telephone exchanges for attaching the cables of electricalV conductors interconnectframework. VAs shown in Figs. 1 and 2,`the cable supporting framework may consist of 'a pairolf spaced parallel bars or stringersl interconnected by a "plurality of spaced cross i straps 16; preferably formed of channel iron. 11160` The-cables are usually attached to the frame;- worlr with their longitudinal axes parallel to the stringers andat right angles to the cross channels 161 'It will beobserved that'the clamping devicessupporting the first few layers of cables are attached to suitable base clamps secured at predetermined positions i along the channels 16." Additional layersfor groups of cables arefastened to the preceding layers bymeans of clamping devicesV which 170 are adapted to be interlocked with the devices supporting-the precedinglayers. e A "e v In itspreferred form, the improved clamping device consists of flat stripmaterial?` preferably slieetmetal,"formed into a two sided right angle member 2O (Fig. "3) for partially7 enclosing a group of cables and provided with means for?` engaging a cooperating similar niemher 21" (Fi`g. il) tattach the enclosed cables to a supporting framework orto a prerviously supported group of cables. Each of the clamping" members and` 21 `comprises horizontal portion 23 anda vertical portion 211, the'verticalvportionterminating in a `reduced end portion 25 provided with a plurall soA ity of spaced transverse slots 26, 26. A subt observed that the `horizontal portion 23 ofthe clampingmember 21 terminates in`a `reduced endI portion 31 having a plurality of spaced transverse slots 32xfor selective interlocking engagement by `the ofset vlip 29yof a cooperating clamping member 2O to provide horizontal adjustment for accommodating vari ous numbers and sizes of cables.

The vertical portion 24 of each of the clamping members 2O and 2l is slotted at its juncture with'the. horizontal portion- 23, as indicated at 3 (Fig. 8), for accommodating the reduced horizontal portion 3l of a cooperating clamping member 2l as shown in Fig. 7. A depending lip 34 formed in the prong 23 is adapted to` selectively engage the transverse slots 32 of the reduced horizontal end portion 3l ot a cooperating clamping member 2l to provide horizontal adjustment. rJ'he horizontal portion 23 of the clamping members .2O and 2l are provided with otiset edges 35 for engaging thecables whereby a space is provided between the cables and the clampingmembers for accommodating the reduced horizontal portion of a cooperating clamping member. rl`he oti'set edges 35 also serve to stiil'en the horizontal portion of the c ianipnig members.

A special slot 36 is cut in the vertical portion 24 to provide a depending prong or lip 37. The vertical portion above the slot 36 is bent outwardly, as indicated at 33, and the portion below the slot is bent inwardly, as indicated at 39, to form, in effect, a poclret for accommodating the reduced vertical end portion 25 of a. coopera-ting clamping member. It will be observed that the depending prong 37 is bent inwardly and is adapted to selectively engage the transverse slots 26 or" the reduced vertical end portion 25 of a cooperating clamping member to provide vertical adjustment tor accommodating various numbers and sizesV of cables. This vertical adjustability also provides a simple and etticient means for accommodating slight variations in the dimensionscf similar types or sizes of cables, such as may be caused by slight variations in the sizes of the composite con- `ductrors or byfother variations encountered in commercial manufacturing conditions. Furthermore, the 'clamping devices automatically adjust themselves to dimensional. variations of the cables resulting from the compressing force of superimposed layers of cables.

When employing the `clamping members 2O.y and 2l for attaching .a run or group of 4()k y(Figa l and 2) to a supporting frameworln the clamping members enclosing the. iirst layers 'orgroups of cables are attachedto suitable base clamps adapted to be secured to the framework. Thus, as shown in Eig. l.; the clampingzmenrbers enclosing thelirst two layers of cables 40 are attached to .base clamps 542, 42secured to the cross channels 1G.A i he base clamp42 may consistv of fiat sheet material, 'preferably spr-ing steel,` formed into a three sided loop adapted to be clampedto a channel 16 and lhaving one side formed with 'outwardly 'extending vertical portion 43 `clamping member to provide vertical adjustment.

In attaching a run or group of cables to a supporting framework, the base clamps 42 are first clamped at predetermined positions along each or certain of thev cross channels 16 and a group of cables is then arranged in horizontal layers along the cross channels in the spaces deined by a pair of adjacent base clamps. Clamping members 2O and 2l, interloclred as shown in Figs.V 6 and 7 are then placed around the cables and are pressed downwardly to firmly clamp the cables to the Channels 16, the reduced vertical endl portionsv of the clamping members extending into the pockets of the base clamps and automatically becoming interlocked therein by the engagement of the prong 45 with one of 'the transverse slots 26, as hereinbetore described. ln a similar manner, additional cables may be superimposed upon a previously supported group of cables and may be readily and securely attached thereto by cooperating cla-mping members 2O and 2l adapted to be interlocked with the preceding clamping members. In such instances, the reduced vertical end portions of the clamping members enclosing the additional cables extend into the vertical pockets of the preceding clamping members and` are automatically interloclied therein by the Aengagenient of the prongs 37 oi' the preceding members with the transverse slots 26 of the reduced end portions 25 of the superimposed members. It will be observed that the slots 32 ot' the reduced horizontal portion 31 of the clamping member 2l are so spaced that upon the interlocking of the horizontal portions of the clamping members one of the slots 32 registers with the vertical pocket of the cooperating or preceding clamping member to permit the insertion 'of the reduced vertical portion 25 of a superimposed clamping member.

When desired, additional cables or groups of cables may be attached 'to an adjacent grup of previously supported cables as well as to a supporting framework or 'to a previously attached layer of cables by means oi clamping members 2l adapted to interlock with preceding clamping members as shown in Fig. 7. Insuchvinstances, the reduced horizontalportions 3l ot' the clampmembers 4enclosii'ig 'the additional cables are interlocked with the horizontal por'- llU IJtions of the clamping members supporting theadjacentgroup of' cables in the manner hereinbetore described.` Likewise, the

-a compositeor unitary structure securely at-` tached to a supporting framework. Y

i It is to be understood thatthe embodiment i of the Vinvention herein 4illustrated 'and described merely represents a convenient and "useful form 'of the invention which is capable of other applications within the scope of the appended claims. c

l/Vhat isclaimedis: i

l. A clamping device. comprising a two sided member, one side having a depressed prong anda plurality oit spaced transverse slots for adjustable interlocking engagement with the depressed prong of another member and the other side having a portion for at-V tachment to a supporting member. Y

QUA clamping device comprising a two sided member," one side having a transverse )if slot and an olijset portion adjacent to the other side for interlocking engagement with the transverse slot ofanother memberand'` the other sidehaving a portion for attach having slot engaging means 'and terminating in reduced end portions having spaced transv ment to a supporting member. 'j 3. A "clamping deviceconsistlng of sheet material formed into a two sided member verse slots for adjustable interlocking engagement with the slot engagingmeans of anf other member. Y,

4. A cable clamping device consisting of `sheet material formed into a two sided member having one side formed with offset edges for engaging a cable andrterminating in a portion formed with means for adjustable interlocking engagement with another member and the other side having a portion for attachment to' a supporting member.

5. A cable clamping device comprising a two sided member, each side having an ottset prong and a plurality of spaced transverseslots for selec-tive interlocking engagement with spaced transverse slots and offset prongs respectively or' other two sidedmembers to provide an adjustable enclosure for cables ot various sizes. j

6. A clampingv device. comprising a two sided member consisting of a horizontal porj l tion and a vertical portion, the vvertical portion terminating in a reduced end'portion provided with a plurality of spaced transhorizontal portion having a partially severed portion formed with van ottset lip; for inter'-` locking engagement with; a third` `n'iember.

7. A cable clampingdevicecomprising a two sided rightA angle member consisting of a` `vertical portion and a horizontal portion, the

vertical portion havingfan offset lipiand'ter-` minating in alreduced` end lportion Vhaving a f transverse slot for interlocking engagement with thegoifsetlip 1of another: member .to 'provide vertical adjustment.

8. Acable clamping device comprisingla two 4"sided-,right angle member consisting iof a vertical portionj and a horizontal portion',

the vertical portionihaving anoffsetglip-and i terminating in a reduced end portionhaving a plurality of spaced` transverse slots forfse- `lective interlocking engagementv1 with the oilset lip ofa second member to providefvertical adjustment, `and the :horizontal portion have nga depressed prong for interlockingfen-` gagement 'with the` horizontal 'portions fof 1 a third member.` l. x

f 9: A cable clamping-device.comprisinga two sided member having .offset portions and providedwith spaced transverse slotsfin each side for Vselective interlocking. engagement with --the spaced transverse 'slots -1 and osetV portions of cooperating` members t'o i provide an `adj ustable enclosure for` accommodat ng f W10; Acableclampingdevicel comprising a `two sided right anglemember, one sidef'pro` vided with Va lip engaging portion and 'halving a partially "severedf portion` -in one side terminating in an offsetlip `for `interlocking A.

4engagem'ent with "lip engagingportions 4of otherrmembers. j i i 111: A'cable clamping devicefeom1'1risin'g-"al with asupporting mem ber.f

Al2. Aclamping` device comprising aitwo ioo sided right Sangleimember'lconsisting of a j vertical po`rtion"`a`nd `ahorizontal portion, the vertical portion having a slot for accommodating thehorizontal portion of a second member, andthe horizontal portion having a slot for accommodating the vertical portion of a third member, each of vsaid portions having means for adjustable interlocking engagement with corresponding portions 'of other members.`

13. A cable clamping device comprising a two sided member, one side terminating in Va reduced end portionand havinga pocket portion for accommodating the reduced end 1 portion of another member, and the other f side havingspaced transverse slots and a" Vpartially severed portion formed with a deverse slots for adjustable interlocking engagement with a secondmember, and the pressed prong for adjustable interlocking engagement with the slots of another memj 14. A cable clamping device comprising-a two sided right angle member lconsisting of a vertical `portion and a horizontal portion, the vertical portion having an offset lip and terminating in a reduced end portion having a plurality of spaced transverse slots :for selective interlocking engagement Wit-h the offset lip of a second member to provide vertical adjustment, and the horizontal portion having a depressed prong and terminating in a reduced end portion having a plurality of spaced transverse slots for selective interlocking engagement with the depressed prong of a .third member to provide horizontal adjustment.

15. `A cable clamping device comprising a two :sided member, one side -having means for attachment to a supporting member and the other side terminating in an end portion and having an oifset loop portion for retaining in parallel relationship with the end portion a similar slotted end portion of another member, the loop portion h( ving a projection for selectively engaging the slotted end portion to retain the end portions in selected relative longitudinal relationship.

16. A cable clamping device comprising a two sided member terminating in slotted end portions for attachment to supporting members, one of the sides having an oiset loop portion for retaining in parallel relationship `With the associated end portion, a similar slotted end portion of another member, the loop `portion having a projection for selectively engaging the slotted end portion of the other member to retain the parallel end portions in selected relativelongitudinal relationship, land the other side provided with a slot for admitting the corresponding slotted end portion of a third member and a resiliently supported projecting portion for selectively engaging the slots of the admitted end portion to retain it in selected position.

In Witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this'22d dav of Apr-il, A. D. 1229.

HEYWARD WIRGMAN yBOWLY. WILLIAM WINEBIDDL'I McllVILLI'AMS.Y 

